Switch-throwing mechanism.



N. G. MoGONAHY.

SWITCH THBOWING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, I910. Patented Jan. 24, 1911.

"'0: NORRIS PIYIRS ca. wumnurnu. n. c.

. UNITED STATES racrnnrr onniion.

NEWELL CHANDLER MGCONAHY, 0F TYRONE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH-THROWING MECHANISM.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, Nnwnnn C. MoCoNAiIY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tyrone, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Switcl1-'ll1ro\ving Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to switch throwing mechanism for street railways, and particularly to an improved construction of switch tongue and means for guiding the actuating element on the car thereto for throwing said tongue in one direction or the other, as well as to a novel construction of the said actuating element.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a tongue which is so formed as to adapt it to be easily moved in both directions by the actuating element.

Another object is to provide a means for accurately guiding the contact member of the actuating element into engagement with the point of the tongue to insure the positive movement of the latter in the desired direction.

Still another object is to provide an actuating element which may be conveniently set to throw the switch to the right or left, and which may also be held in retracted position until its use is required.

Still another object is to provide a tongue which is so mounted as to prevent wear upon its pivot from the wheels of passing cars and the consequent tilting of the tongue under the pressure of a wheel where the pivot becomes loose from wear, and to con struct the tongue to permit the contact member of the actuating element to clear the point of the tongue after shifting the same without interference.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a plan view showing the track rails and switch construction. Fig. 2 is an outer side elevation of the tongue with its heel portion shown in section. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation showing the actuating element on the car arranged to throw the switch. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of the platform of the car and actuating de vice, illustrating in full and dotted lines the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 22, 1910.

Patented Jan. 24, 1911. Serial No. 550,960.

positions to which said device is adjusted to throw the switch in reverse directions.

Referring to the drawing, the numerals 1 and 2 represent what will, for cmivenienee, be termed the rails of the main track, and $1- and 4 the rails of the branch track, and 5 designates the switch tongue arranged at the point of intersection of the tracks 2 and 4 and movable in a guide groove or channel 6 formed .on the track 2.

The tongue is disposed between portions of the track 2 at the point where the track 4 intersects one of said portionsin the usual manner, and is provided at its heel end with a pivot lug 7 having an opening 8 for the passage of the pivot bolt 9 .on which it is mounted to swing, the upper end of said opening being countersunk to receive the head of the bolt, by which the latter lies flush with the upper surface of the tongue. By this construction the head of the bolt is prevented from receiving the direct pressure of the wheels of cars passing over the rails, and hence is not subjected to undue wear by which the pivotal connection in practice is loosened, as is common with switch tongues of ordinary construction, and consequently the tongue is prevented from tilting under the pressure of the wheel after it has been in use some time. Tn accordance with my invention, the point of the tongue has an ex tension in the form of an arm 10 projecting into the uide channel 6 and fori'ncd with a V-shaped free end 11. Disposed in said guide channel at a point in ad vance of and adjacent to said arm is a guide block or projection 12 which is wcdgc shaped, so that its sides incline or diverge rearwardly in the direction toward the arm of the tongue from the reduced end of the block.

The tongue actuating device upon the car comprises a rod or shaft 13 upon the lower end of which is journaled av contact wheel 14: having a V-shaped periphery. The stem is movable through an opening 15 in the plat-form 16 of the car and is provided with a spline or key 17 and an operating knob or handle 18. A pair of slots or recesses 20 and 21 is formed in the car bottom and communicate with the guide opening 15, said slots or notches being disposed in divergent relation or in reverse directions at an oblique angle to receive the spline or key 17 of the shaft 13 to set the contact wheel 14: at different operative inclinations to the path of travel of the car. for the purpose of shifting the tongue 5 in opposite directions. Fig. 4

shows the guide key or feather 17 fitted in handle 18 and the platform 16, which spring normally holds the wheel 14 above the level of the track. The device as a whole may be elevated to bring the feather 17 to rest at its lower end upon the surface of the platform to support said device in an inoperative posit-ion, or to shift said device to bring the feather into either one of the guide slots 20 and 21.

In operation, assuming the tongue to be in the position shown in Fig. 1, the motorman or conductor of the car running toward the switch along the rails 1 and 2 anddesiring to pass onto the branch tracks 3 and 4: adjusts the switch operating device so that the key or feather 17 engages the notch 20, thus throwing the wheel 14L at an oblique angle to the left. The periphery of the wheel, when the device is then depressed against the resistance of the spring 22 by the motorman, will enter the guide channel 6 and strike the point of the guide block 12 which will guide the wheel so that it will pass between said block and the inner surface of the rail 2 and come in contact with the outer beveled face of the point 11 of the arm 10 of the tongue, so that on the continued movement of the car the wheel through its oblique disposition will force the arm inward toward the inner face or side of the guide channel 6, and thus shift the tongue for the passage of the car onto the branch tracks. If the following car is to continue along the main tracks, the conductor or motorman of such car upon finding the switch set for the branch tracks, will dispose the operating device thereon so that the feather 17 engages the notch 21, thus setting the wheel 14 at the switch to its normal position for connecting the portions of the main tracks.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the invention provides a simple type of switch tongue and shifting means therefor which may be conveniently operated and which, through the construction of the contact wheel and the guiding means, insures a positive and certain action. The arm 10 of the tongue not only steadies the tongue and obviates its tendency to tilt under any looseness whichmay occur through wear of the pivot, but also affords increased leverage for shifting the same. The arm has its upper surface terminating below the surfaces of the body of the tongue and the rail 2 in order that the wheels of passing cars may'run over the same without interference.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is The combination with the main and branch rails of a track, of a switch tongue having a pivot lug at its free end and an extension arm disposed below the plane of the upper face thereof and provided at its free end with oppositely beveled faces, a pivot bolt passing through and countersunk in said lug, a guide block upon one of the track rails adjacent the free end of the tongue having diverging faces, and an actuating element adapted to be carried by a car and having beveled faces to cooperate with the said faces of the switch arm and block, said ele ment being adjustable to diflerent angular positions to throw the switch in opposite directions.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NEWELL CHANDLER MOCONAHY.

Witnesses:

E. fr- TONER, CLARK MoLANAI-IAN. 

